Top Five Bargain Destinations for Winter 2010/11

Sarkis joined SmarterTravel in 2003. She's always on the lookout for authentic local experiences and her next great meal. She loves discovering new destinations, predicting trends, and turning amazing travel experiences into inspiring stories.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Yahoo! Travel, Huffington Post, Business Insider, and other publications. Her work has also been published in Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

Bargain seekers rejoice: Deals are alive and kicking this winter. Spa deals in the Napa Valley, unusually affordable airfares to Boston, and new and improved service to farther-away destinations such as Germany, Mexico, and Turks and Caicos give travelers on a budget plenty of vacation options in the coming season.

I’ve monitored trends, industry news, and sale patterns to point you in the direction of places that offer the best bargain value for the coming season. Below you’ll find examples of deals presently available for winter trips. Like all deals, these are sure to expire; however, a little research on your part can yield similar results when you’re ready to book.

Turks and Caicos

The Caribbean island voted the top beach and sun destination in the world in this year’s TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards has plenty to offer this winter. New routes from two airlines, plus hotel and vacation package deals put Turks and Caicos on the budget travel radar.

This winter, it’s going to get easier to reach Turks and Caicos. JetBlue kicks off weekly service from JFK Airport in New York on February 17. And Continental starts new service from Newark on February 18, with sale fares to Turks and Caicos from $328 round-trip.

Seasonal free-night deals abound at resorts on the islands. For instance, at the Leeward Resort, guests get two nights free with seven-night stays between January 3 and 16. At the West Bay Club, the fourth night is free between January 3 and February 28. And the Ocean Club Resorts has a seventh night free deal.{{{SmarterBuddy|align=left}}}

Packaging air and accommodations offers additional savings options. CheapCaribbean.com has sales with short booking windows for early winter, with rates such as $639 for airfare plus four nights’ accommodations. And JetBlue lists package options to accompany its new service, with additional perks such as free nights.